Home Renovation and Repair Guide: Final Reveal: My Ice Cream Shop

Let me start this post by saying,

This final reveal is soooo long overdue. Sorry!

The funny thing about it all is I actually thought I would have a spare moment once everything was done and my shop was up and running. I couldn’t have been more wrong—the hard work just began.

Grand opening day was an exciting one. I couldn’t believe we had a line up out the door.

Ice Cream Donut Sandwich + Stuffed Cheesecake Sundae @ Whimsy’s

But soon after, panic mode started to kick in. Everything that possibly could go wrong, went wrong that first day. Our AC stopped working (it was a hot day), we were running out of product, one of my ice cream machines was giving me problems, I was managing new (inexperienced) staff….the list goes on.

However, I realized that my first day of craziness was a great learning experience. It taught me that there will NEVER EVER be a dull moment in this type of business!

But enough about that. Let’s get back to the reno. I’m ecstatic with the way it all turned out and just in case you forgot, let’s rewind right back to the start, shall we.

Ahhh, yes. Where it all began. The previously cluttered balloon shop. Within the first 5 minutes of walking in, I instantly got the magical “this is it” feeling. We signed the lease shortly after, took possession, and began to reno this 100-year-old beaut.

I made a budget + plan, and for the most part, was able to stick to it. I utilize any helping hands we could get. Thank you to our awesome family members and friends who helped us along the way!

I’m also so thankful I got to work with some of my favourite brands who provided us with some top-notch, durable finishings for our space. We were able to transform our dull, dingy space into an insta-worthy ice cream shop.

Replacing our ceiling tiles and getting rid of the fluorescent lighting was the start of our transformation. I feel like we knocked off 50 years just by upgrading to Genesis Smooth White Ceiling Panels .

I’m so happy we also picked a durable floor. After a busy summer with lots of foot traffic, toppings spilling all over the floor, kids running, bouncing, and playing, these Karndean Floors look as good as the day they were installed.

The white laminate countertop and tables add to the whole fresh look and feel of the shop. This affordable DIY using Formica Laminate is worth every single penny.

I for sure thought by the end of summer, my tabletops would be scratch up and ruined. But no, not even one mark on the white surface. I’m so impressed with this product!

Our marble wallpaper, painted mural and even our pastel coloured walls are the favourite backdrops for our customer’s ice cream selfies.

I’ve even seen people sneak into the bathroom to take pictures with this amazing Milton & King wallpaper.

Our back-counter wall is covered in white penny rounds. To jazz up this plain tile, we used customized pink grout. We put up acrylic menu boards and tried to keep everything with clean lines. Even our hand washing station is next level with a fresh, modern and highly functional design aesthetics.

It was definitely a different experience to decorate an ice cream shop versus my home. But it just goes to show you, picking quality finishings is always the best investment for the long run.

For a complete overview of our shop, check out this 360.

Thanks so much for following along on this new venture. If you are ever in the area, stop by and say “hello”!